Lightning flourish in opener

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THE Sunshine Coast Lightning not only put the netball world on notice with the 56-all draw with the Queensland Firebirds on Saturday night.

The new girls on the block in Super Netball also emphatically reinforced to big brother, the Melbourne Storm, why the NRL powerhouse got involved in women’s sport.

The Storm, in partnership with the flourishing University of the Sunshine Coast, have backed the Lightning the same way AFL clubs Collingwood and GWS have thrown their weight behind netball teams in the new-look competition.

Storm chief executive Dave Donaghy said the Lightning repaid the faith in full in just one night.

“To deliver a performance like that against the reigning champs not only means that everyone has probably taken notice but it also demonstrated the reasons why we were so keen to get involved,’’ Donaghy said.